Replacing steering column shifter bushing on your w114 / w115 Mercedes
by Patryk Rebisz

If your column gear selector feels loose, this might mean that your bushings have turned to dust. Follow along to see how to fix it.

If you have 2nd generation car with rubber pad on your wheel, then you have to pull the rubber edges of the pad to remove it. (It wraps around the cooper metal framing in the picture above on all 4 sides).

Afterwards you will face the steering nut (tightened to 50 nm so be prepared to use some force to undo it). You want to hold the wheel so it doesn't move as you break the nut loose with your wrench. Pull the steering wheel assembly away from the steering shaft.

Lift the rubber protective pad of the gear selector and unscrew the plastic holding the selector to the column. Pull away the gear selector assembly. (yellow in the picture)

Pull back the rubber protective cover of the direction indicator and unscrew the two bolts holding the selector to the steering column. Let the direction indicator hang loose (it has a thick set of wires so it will be OK).

Unscrew the 4 hex bolts from the steering plate (red in the picture) and remove the large circlips in the center (green arrows).

Using pliers turn the gear selector shaft (violet in the picture) 180deg so the circlip faces towards the steering shaft. Remove it. Under this clip there is a bushing (or its remains). There is another same bushing UNDER the silver steering plate.

Now it's time to slightly lift the silver steering plate so we can replace the busing under it. The fun begins as it's easier said than done. Temporarily screw on the steering wheel back on the steering shaft and pull the whole assembly towards you. This lifts the aluminum assembly slightly away from the black steering column. Unscrew the steering wheel again. With a flat screwdriver inserted between steering column casing and the aluminum assembly now slightly lifted, carefully pry up the assembly so it lifts around 1inch. Don't remove it all the way as it's still connected to the direction indicator by the horn wires. This should give you plenty of space to clean and replace the selector shaft busing under the aluminum assembly.

Replace 2nd busing on the top of the selection shaft and screw back the whole mess. Done!